Delegation meeting is Tuesday evening

By MATTHEW BEATON / The News Herald

Published: Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 05:22 PM.

“The average citizen has to go on a treasure hunt to find out what I owe and who I owe and what I own,” he said.

Also fines for ethics and elections violations have no teeth, Gaetz said, and don’t force Florida’s public officials to pay up. He said if unpaid after four years, the fines are written off and turned over to a collection agency.

Gaetz said the state should step up and make sure the fines are paid, and if they aren’t, lawmakers’ public salaries should be garnished.

Co-employment is another sticking point with the Senate president. Gaetz said lawmakers shouldn’t be collecting two public paychecks, unless they are teachers or in law enforcement.

Gaetz said job growth and education are the other major issues facing lawmakers this session. He said the Legislature must do everything in its power to eliminate obstacles to small businesses keeping and adding jobs.

“Government doesn’t create jobs other than government jobs,” he said, “but government can create an environment in which job growth is harder or easier, so I’m committed to creating an environment in which job growth is easier.”

And he said public education must be brought closer to the “realities and opportunities” of the economy. He said the recent presidential debates highlighted that 15 percent of last year’s college graduates are unemployed or underemployed.

Patronis said he’s looking for local bills — legislation that affects the area —which he can take to Tallahassee.

“That’s first and foremost what we should try to accomplish,” he said.

Currently there are no local bills slated for discussion, but this is the chance for county residents to come forward and push issues that such a bill could address, Patronis said.

The hearing also is a chance for advocacy groups to champion their policies and positions as lawmakers eye the upcoming session. Usually these groups come out and get some time at the microphone and make presentations, Patronis said. And those who don’t get their point across fully can make an appointment for a one-on-one session later, with any of the three lawmakers, he said.

“The delegation meeting isn’t the only place for them to address their concerns,” he said.

Patronis said this session will be unique because it’s the first year since he’s been elected that there’s a projected budget surplus. In recent years, lawmakers have been forced to cut the budget, but he said Florida’s economy is “on the comeback,” creating the surplus. He stressed the Legislature must be a good steward of the surplus and not be wasteful.

Also headed into the session, Patronis is well positioned to impact the state’s economy, owing to his recent chairmanship appointment to the House Economic Affairs Committee. Much of the BP oil spill recovery funds will be under his purview because the Economic Affairs Committee is over the Economic Development and Tourism Subcommittee. That means he’ll have his hand in plenty of the policy decisions on how those dollars are spent.

Gaetz to focus on ethics

In the Senate, Gaetz was elected president with unanimous Republican support and has his eye on “raising the standard of ethics in public office,” at the state and local level.

One area for improvement is making officials’ financial disclosures more accessible to the public.

“The average citizen has to go on a treasure hunt to find out what I owe and who I owe and what I own,” he said.

Also fines for ethics and elections violations have no teeth, Gaetz said, and don’t force Florida’s public officials to pay up. He said if unpaid after four years, the fines are written off and turned over to a collection agency.

Gaetz said the state should step up and make sure the fines are paid, and if they aren’t, lawmakers’ public salaries should be garnished.

Co-employment is another sticking point with the Senate president. Gaetz said lawmakers shouldn’t be collecting two public paychecks, unless they are teachers or in law enforcement.

Gaetz said job growth and education are the other major issues facing lawmakers this session. He said the Legislature must do everything in its power to eliminate obstacles to small businesses keeping and adding jobs.

“Government doesn’t create jobs other than government jobs,” he said, “but government can create an environment in which job growth is harder or easier, so I’m committed to creating an environment in which job growth is easier.”

And he said public education must be brought closer to the “realities and opportunities” of the economy. He said the recent presidential debates highlighted that 15 percent of last year’s college graduates are unemployed or underemployed.

“I believe that we need to make changes in the way we govern and fund higher education to make it more likely that a graduate with a degree is able to get a real job in the real economy,” he said.

Coley eyes education improvement

Coley, who was appointed speaker pro tem recently by Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, is setting her sights on education this session.

“We’ll be looking at higher education, making sure that it’s accessible and affordable,” she said, noting it should be of the “highest quality.”

Coley’s interests also lie with preparing students for entering the economy following high school. She wants to increase high school students’ access to vocational training and give them the chance to earn industry certifications before they graduate.

“I do think we’ve got to focus on students who may not plan to go to college right out of high school,” she said.

Coley said hopefully these students will one day enter the realm of higher education, but in the meantime they need to be prepared to get a job. She said the state must ensure high schools provide opportunities for all students — both college bound and workforce bound.

The delegation’s public hearing will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Bay County Government Center in Panama City. It is open to the public.